The nurse is assessing a patient with metastatic prostate cancer who was admitted with sudden onset of back pain, lower extremity weakness, difficulty walking, and paresthesia in their toes.
What intervention will the nurse implement for this patient?

Choice A rationale

Increasing the dose of corticosteroids without consulting a healthcare provider can be dangerous as it can cause serious side effects like immunosuppression, weight gain, and high blood pressure. Patients with Cushing's syndrome already have excess corticosteroids and should avoid additional doses.

Choice B rationale

This statement is incorrect as Cushing's syndrome is not related to a thyroid gland tumor. The treatment for Cushing's syndrome often involves removing a tumor from the adrenal gland or pituitary gland, not the thyroid.

Choice C rationale

Resuming physically intense activities like football should be discussed with a healthcare provider. Patients with Cushing's syndrome may have muscle weakness, osteoporosis, and other health issues that could be exacerbated by high-impact sports.

Choice D rationale

Patients with Cushing's syndrome have a weakened immune system due to high corticosteroid levels. Avoiding infections and promptly reporting any signs of illness, like fever, is crucial for their health.

Choice A rationale

Diagnostic surgery involves procedures done to confirm a diagnosis, such as a biopsy. In this case, the patient has already received a positive result on a breast tumor marker test, so the purpose of surgery is not to diagnose but to prevent the development of breast cancer.

Choice B rationale

Palliative surgery is performed to relieve symptoms or improve quality of life in patients with serious illnesses, often in advanced stages of cancer. The patient’s request for a bilateral mastectomy is not intended to alleviate symptoms but rather to reduce the risk of developing breast cancer.

Choice C rationale

Prophylactic surgery is performed to reduce the risk of cancer in patients with a high predisposition to certain cancers, such as those with a family history or genetic mutations like BRCA1 or BRCA2. The patient’s request for a bilateral mastectomy falls into this category, as it aims to prevent the potential future development of breast cancer.

Choice D rationale

Reconstructive surgery is performed to restore the appearance or function of body parts after trauma, surgery, or congenital defects. While patients undergoing mastectomies may later opt for reconstructive surgery to restore breast appearance, the patient’s current request for a bilateral mastectomy is to proactively prevent breast cancer, not for reconstruction purposes. .